Baggage-handler.



' No. 747,399. 1 a PATENTED DEC. 22, 1903'.

- G. H. WALL.

BAGGAGE HANDLER.-

APILIOATION FILED HA3. 2. 1903.

w WITNESSES Z 4 mam Tole No; 747,899. PATENTED DEC. 22, 1903.

G. H. WALL.

BAGGAGE HANDLER.

APPLICATION FILED mnflz. 190a K0 MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES INVEWTOR @y mwawr? mtorneys.

I No. 747,899.

gctioncn H.

I Patented December 22, 1903.

OFFICE onbnrnoir, MrcHIcA-n,fnssIeNon-TosAFE'rY BAGGAGE HANDLER COMPANY,- OF MANISTEE, MICHIGAN.

; EPH'A-INDLER.

' srjncrnrcnuiron rcrhnn fpait rna Pat... 15rd. #471899, a ea December 22, '1903'.

' L 2 1 I 1' Application filed March 2, 1903;s5at1m; 145,646. (No model.)

Be it known thatl GEORGE H; WhhL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit,-

county of Wayne,- State of Michigan, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Baggage-Handlers; and I declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to loading and unloading devices used-in connection with railway-cars, and has for its object an improved vertically-movable platform arranged to form part of a floor of a railway-car and to be lowered to or near to the ground and provided with a section arranged to be folded out to extend at the side of the car.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the door-opening. Fig. 3 is a plan of thecar-floor. Fig. dis a plan of the elevator-floor. Fig. 5is a section at the line w a: of Fig. 4. 1

The floor of the car is made with a strong central sill 1 andof two sills 2 and 3, each of which is placed about midway between the central sill 1 and the side of the car.' The platform is located at the middle of thecar, and the side sills 4 are cut to provide a'rectangular opening through the floor. This opening extends from the side of the car to- Ward the sill 2, and on the opposite side of the car a similar opening extends fromthe side of the car to the sill 3. The two openings are symmetrical, and the parts employed to close the opening are symmetrical and only one of them will be explained.

A hinged platform twice the size of the opening is supported on the L-bars 6 6, which unite vertical channel-bars 7 and 8. The L- bars, the channel-bars, and an upper crossbar 9 form a framework that is arranged to slide vertically on stationary posts 10 10,

i which are located at the sides' of the dooropening. The platform is preferably made of two metallic leaves 11 and 12, hinged together, and each leaf is covered on the hinge side with a wooden flooring 13 14., (seen in Fig. 5,) and 14. making the surface when the openedout substantially smooth "atucon'ceann the knuckles of the hinge.

Brace-rods 15 and 16 are connected by swiveljoints to the folding leaf 12 and also by swivel and sliding joints to the posts 7 and 8. From the top of the frame which sustains the platform cables pass over sheaves 17 and 18, which last is a double sheave, and over the double sheave 19 to a pulley 20 on the end of a piston-rod 21 of an air-motor cylinder 22,

actuated by the introduction of air from trainpipe 23, through storage-tank 24, and past the throttle-way cock 25. The platform when elevated is supported on a spring-catch 26, '65 which is actuated by a pedal 27 by means of a system of levers which act to retract the catch and release the platform when the pedal is depressed.

In using this device the catch 26 is released and theplatform falls by gravity. The descent of the platform is regulated by manipulating the throttle-Way cook 25 to provide for 'a slow or quick exhaust behind the piston. The platform may be lifted with the upper leaf in folded position or the leaf may be turned out, as may be desired. W'hen turned out, the leaf provides a gang-plank connecting the platform of the elevator with the station platform and articles that have been placed on low-wheeled trucks on the platform may be easily transferred to the stationplatform, or articles may be transferred'from the station-platform to the car-platform, the car-platform lifted until it, is even with the car-floor,and the articles moved to some other part of the car. The leaf is then infolded and forms no obstruction to the travel of the car.

What I claim is 1. In a loading device for cars, incombi'nation with a car-floor provided with an open-' ing which extends through the side sill of said floor, a folding elevator-platform, substantially as described.

2. In a loading device for cars, the combina- 9 5 tion with a car-floor provided with an opening which extends through the side sill thereof, a folding elevatorplatform, and means. for actuating it, substantially as described.

3. In a loading device for cars, in combinamo tion with a car-floor provided with an opening which extends through the side sill thereof, a folding elevator-platform, means for actuating it, and a catch to secure it in an elevated position, substantially as described.

4. In combination with a car, a verticallymovable folding platform, a motor and connections betwen the motor and the platform for actuating the platform, and train -pipe connections to the motor, substantially as described.

5. In connection with the door-posts of a car, a verticallysliding frame arranged to travel thereon, lifting-cables and means for actuating the cables, a folding platform secured to the frame and arranged to travel therewith, substantially as described.

6. In a loading device for cars, a folding platform, a car-floor provided with an opening in which the platform engages, brace-rods extending from the sliding frame to the folding leaf of the platform arranged to enable the leaf to swing through the opening, substantially as described.

7. In a loading device for cars, the combination with a car-floor supported intermediate its sides and having the side sill cut and an opening provided intermediate the ends of the car, a vertically-movable platform, adapted to fill said opening, and a folding platform hinged to the vertically-movable platform and adapted to be unfolded outward to extend beyond the earfloor, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification in the presence of two Witnesses.

GEORGE H. WALL.

Witnesses:

MAY E. KOTT, CHARLES F. BURTON. 

